VCU news

By Mike Porter

VCU’s Wellness Resource Center has been awarded a $10,000 grant to assist students in recovery from alcohol and other drugs.

The grant, which grew from a partnership with community members and recovering students, was awarded by the Stacie Mathewson Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 to promote addiction recovery and prevention for young people.

The yearlong grant allows VCU to identify and recruit additional students to join a recovery support group, to promote the new group and available resources for students and to inform the campus community and university leaders of ongoing efforts.

The grant also will support the creation of an online map of community recovery assets available by November.

“This grant will support capacity building,” said Kristen Kidd Donovan, substance abuse prevention coordinator at the Wellness Resource Center. “The idea is to connect the university community, particularly our students, to available resources and each other.”

Visit http://staciemathewsonfoundation.org for more information about The Stacie Mathewson Foundation.

To find out more information about the effort or to get involved, contact Kristen Kidd Donovan at kkdonovan@vcu.edu. Visit RamSmart for additional information about VCU’s health and wellness, safety and preparedness resources.